Method of and apparatus for separating threads during spinning



1966 K. H. HEUVELMANS 3,231,167

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING' THREADS DURING SPINNING Filed Aug. 10, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 2L w, &

ATTORNEY Jan. 25, 1966 K. H. HEUVELMANS 3,231,167

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING THREADS DURING SPINNING Filed Aug. 10, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY 1956 K. H. HEUVELMANS METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING THREADS DURING SPINNING 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 10, 1961 Jan. 25, 1966 K. H. HEUVELMANS METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING THREADS DURING SPINNING 6 Sheets-$heet 4.

Filed Aug. 10, 1961 ATTORNEY .W. 25, 1966 K. H. HEUVELMANS 3,231,167

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING THREADS DURING SPINNING Filed Aug. 10, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR K/lfl HEM/Z f/Efl V54 M445 BY WK,

ATTOR NEY Jan. 25, 1966 K. H. HEUVELMANS 3,231,167

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING THREADS DURING SPINNING Filed Aug. 10, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTUKNL'Y United States Patent 3,231,167 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATIN G THREADS DURING SPINNING Karl Heinz Henvelmans, Am-la-fliapelie, Germany, assignor to Aachen-Gerresheimer Textilglas G.m.b.H., Gevetex, Aix-la-Chapelle, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Aug. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 139,689 Claims priority, application Germany, Aug. 13, 1960, A 35,350 12 Claims. (Cl. 226-189) This invention is concerned with a method and apparatus for the separation, during spinning, of threads composed of primary or elementary filaments of glass or other thermoplastic material, in which the threads first pass over a moistening device for applying a moistening agent to their surfaces, and which are then subjected to the separating operation.

The fundamental problem of the invention is that in the manufacture of transparent pieces of plastic material reinforced by glass fibers, it appeared that the glass silk mats used heretofore for this purpose did not always prove adequate for the requirements, because the relatively thick threads generally produced for the manufacture of these mats of glass silk remained visible in the finished product, which gave rise to a bad appearance. It is possible in principle, to reduce this bad effect by utilizing for the mats of glass silk, threads composed of filaments of reduced diameter. However, the manufacture of such threads is not economical because other spinning nozzles must be used for this purpose, which have a greatly reduced output flow or productive capacity, and because these fine threads are very delicate for the subsequent operations. In order to avoid these difiiculties, a separable textile thread is formed, which thread is composed of several threads of lesser diameter disposed in parallel and joined loosely to each other. When these compound threads are cut, they separate into individual threads, and in the course of subsequent treatment, produce mats of very fine texture, which, when used as a reinforcement in plastic materials, gives rise to no objectionable appearance of the fiber formation.

The known processes and devices for separating threads are detailed and complicated. In particular, in known devices for laying up the threads, part of the process must be executed by hand.

It is the object of the invention to provide a process of thread separation and an apparatus therefor, which eliminate the above mentioned difliculties.

In order to accomplish this purpose, the process is characterized in that, in the first place, the entire skein of elementary filaments, after having passed through the wetting device, is placed in at least one guiding roller so as to spread out the skein like fan. Thereafter, separating members are introduced into the fan between the wetting device and the guiding roller. These separating members with sharp separating edges and small grooves therebetween, are arranged with the separating edges closer together at the center of the fan than near the edges so that by virtue of the angling of the fan a larger separation towards the edges of the fan takes place.

i The above described separating members make possible a veryuniform division of the fibers, and by virtue of the movement of these members into the path of the fan, the need for manipulation by hand is avoided.

A further development of the process according to the invention is characterized by the fact that a second series of separating members, whose grooves and separation edges are larger and farther apart in comparison with those of the first series, with an increase in spacing towards the edges of the fan, is moved into the previously formed subdivisions of the fan and takes hold of the threads in place of those separated by the first series of separating members.

Dividing the process into two stages results in a perfect separation of the fibers gathered on the receptor bobbin through increase of the spacings between the groups of threads.

In accordance with the invention, the process may be characterized by the fact that the movement of the separating members is produced by rocking the supports therefor, and when the first dividing organ penetrates the fan of fibers, the guiding roller for the bundle of threads is withdrawn therefrom. By such a mode of execution of the process, a very good mechanization of the operation is attained.

According to another mode of execution, the process according to the invention may be characterized by the fact that the dividing member is first brought into the fan of fibers in the immediate vicinity of the wetting device, then moved toward the guiding roller along the plane of the fan in such a way that the sheaf or skein of fibers is lifted from the guide roller. This method of realization of the process also assures an almost automatic perfect manipulation.

The invention also contemplates an apparatus for executing the described process, and the modifications thereof. According to the invention, this apparatus is characterized by an almost cotangential graduation of the separation edges of the dividing members by spacings, preferably with equal depths of the deepest points at the grooves, so that an almost equal number of elementary threads falls in each division. Another feature of the apparatus is the arrangement of the slope of the sides of the grooves to permit the elementary threads to slide into the coresponding grooves, taking into account all friction factors.

By way of explanation, the following conditions are encountered, and. are illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15 of the drawings. In order to draw out the glass threads outside a spinning nozzle of glass silk now used in the industry, a definite force is necessary for each elementary thread, the intensity of this force being determined by the fusion temperature and the speed of drawing-out. Thus, as has already been mentioned, the threads pass over a wetting device 6 and then are placed in guide rollers. If a deflecting roller is then introduced into the trajectory of the thread, which roller is designated a dividthe axis of the roller (FIG. 14). This force Q is determined by traction or pulling force S of the thread, taking into account the embracing angle a. Then we have:

During the separating operation, each elementary thread lies against a part of the side of the dividing roller with the force Q; see FIG. 15. In order for the spinning separating function to be executed perfectly we should have the angle of the side at larger than the angle of fric- Conforming to the preceding, the device according to the invention may also be characterized by a notch or furrow at the bottom of each groove.

In order to execute the process in which the movement of the dividing members is effected by rocking their supports, so that the guide roller is separated from the sheaf or skein of fibers simultaneously with the rocking of the first dividing member into the path of the fan of fibers, it is necessary to provide a first pivoting lever for the guide roller. An arm on this lever which is most distant from the Wetting device carries the guide roller, while another arm nearest the wetting device carries the first series of dividing members. A second hinged lever, pivotally mounted on the first lever, carries the second series of dividing members.

This embodiment of the invention may be modified by arranging the first pivoting lever to have a lateral arm rigidly attached to this lever and the support.

This device permits realization of the process according to the invention quite simply and with very few parts.

Concerning the device for executing the process in which the dividing organ is first brought into the fan of fibers in the immediate vicinity of the wetting device and then is moved toward the guide roller along the plane of the fan until the sheaf of fibers is lifted from the roller, this device is characterized by a guide bar or track for the dividing member which is inclined at a slight angle to the plane of the sheaf between the wetting device and the guide roller. This device is likewise of very simple construction and makes possible the easy execution of the process under consideration. According to the invention, this device is characterized by a system of levers bearing the dividing members and provided with means allowing them to be moved along the track without tipping or tilting.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings which show several arrangements portraying the operation thereof.

In these drawings,

FIG. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of the invention, at the start of the operation;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 illustrating the position of the parts at a later stage in the operation, namely, when the first dividing member is in operative position;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the apparatus operating as shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 and illustrating the position of the part in the final stage of operation, namely when the second dividing member is in operative position;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the apparatus operating as shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a front view on an enlarged scale of the first dividing member;

FIG. 8 is a front view, on an enlarged scale, of the second dividing member;

FIG. 9 is a side view of another embodiment of the invention, presenting a variation from that shown in FIGS. 1 to 6;

FIG. 10 is a front view of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an obverse side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 9 and with the parts on an enlarged scale to illustrate additional structural details;

FIG. 12 is likewise a front view of FIG. 11 on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 13 is a front view on an enlarged scale of the dividing organ shown on a smaller scale in FIGS. 10 and 12; and

FIGS. 14 and 15 are sectional and elevational views, respectively, of the fibers cooperating with the dividing rollers, and schematically illustrate the tractive and separating forces imposed on the fibers by the rollers.

In FIGS. 14 and 15 is portrayed the action of the dividing rollers on the fibers as they are drawn from the filamentary forming devices, which is applicable to the several embodiments of the invention illustrated in the remaining figures of the drawing.

In these figures, arrow S indicates the direction of the tractive force exerted on thread 1 as it passes over dividing roller 2 which it touches at 3 corresponding to the arc of central angle a. Thread 1, after passing the wetting device 6, first occupies the position indicated by dotted line 1. By pivoting the roller 2, the thread passes from position 1 to position 1, that is, it makes contact at 3 with roller 2. The shift of the thread into position 1 produces an oblique force Q; in FIG. 15 this force Q is shown with shift. The application of oblique force Q on the side of the groove produces, by decomposition of forces, forces N and P, which may be calculated by means of the indicated formula. The angle a will be a controlling factor of it, and it should be selected so that thread 1 may slide into groove 4.

In the device especially shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, the thread or fiber producing apparatus of any conventional form, such as spinnerettes, is shown at 5. The fibers first travel past wetting device 6 on their way to the guide rollers 7 which guide away the fan formations 1t. and 11 into two strands or skeins 8 and 9, respectively. A lever system is mounted on frame 12, which system comprises the three integrally connected arms 13, 14 and 15. The above-mentioned guide rollers 7 are mounted at the end of arm 14. The first dividing members 16 are mounted at the extremity of arm 15, which are adapted initially to penetrate into the fans of fibers, as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the system of levers is rocked, which simultaneously rocks arm 14 and separates guide rollers 7 from strands 8 and 9. Strands 8 and 9 thus separate into more subdivided strands 17 and 18. At the same time, fans of fibers 1t) and 11 of FIGS. 1 and 2 are transformed into subdivided fans of fibers 19 and 20.

At the extremity of the arm of lever 15 is also attached a pivoted lever 21 carrying the second dividing members 22. This second set of dividing members is introduced into the fans of threads, which fans are then separated from the first dividing members 16, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, while the two sets of strands 17 and 18 remain separated from guide rollers 7. Subdivided strands'17 and 18 are changed again by the action of dividing members 22, and, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, give rise to groups of divided strands 23 and 24. These groups of divided strands are now extended up to the upper part of the filament layout, the form of which, in general, is no longer of fan formation but rather of parallel lines. FIG. 6 shows very clearly how the last phase of the division produces the parallelism of the divided strands. The different phases of the operation show that this division is produced reliably, without need for placing or guiding the threads individually by hand.

FIG. 7 shows in detail the first dividing member 16 with spacings 25 apportioned equally along the length thereof. FIG. 8 illustrates the second dividing member 22 with equal spacings 26 larger than the spacings 25 in member 16. The edges of separation themselves are designated by 27 in FIG. 7, and by 28 in FIG. 8. The grooves or channels are located between the separating edges 27 or 28, respectively. Dividing member 22 in FIG. 8 shows guide grooves 4 of special configuration at the bottom of the inclined guide surfaces of the roller.

FIGS. 9 to 13 illustrate an apparatus, or a part thereof, for executing the process in which the dividing organ is first moved against the fan of fibers in the immediate vicinity of the wetting device and is then moved along this fan in the direction of the guide roller, until eventually the fibers are lifted from the guide roller.

Dividing roller 29 is disposed initially immediately below the wetting device 6 (FIGS. 9 and 10). The disk or disks 29 are then at a certain distance from the fan of fibers 34, 34'. The disks 23 are next brought to position 34 and are led downwardly following the dotted line in the direction of arrow 32 (FIG. 9), to the vicinity of guide rollers 7. They thus come to occupy the position 33. The skein of fibers 34, corresponding to thread 1',

in FIG. 14, thus moves into position 35, corresponding to thread 1 in FIG. 14. The skein is thus removed from guide roller 7, and the division of the threads is effected. The same final result can be obtained in one single stage with the process and apparatus of this embodiment as with the arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, because the dividing organ 29 first penetrates into the fan of fibers at a higher point where the fan is wider than in the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 8.

FIG. 11 shows some of the mechanical details of the guide channels. When the dividing roller slides downward, skein 34 is separated from the guide roller 7 and comes to position 35. First dividing member 29 shifts along track 36 towards the skein of thread 34, and thereafter it executes the descending movement along track 37. It will be noted that this latter track 37 is slightly inclined in the direction of thread 34.

FIG. 12 shows the device of FIG. 11 viewed from the front. The parallel guiding of dividing rollers 29 is assured by an art-iculated system of levers composed of arms 38, 39, 40 and 41. FIG. 11 shows how pivot points 42 and 43 rock rearwardly, whereby the space between axis 44 and the dividing rollers 29 may be increased or diminished While maintaining parallelism between these dividing rollers. During this movement, the axis 45 shifts along tracks 37 and 36.

FIG. 13 shows one of the elements 29 of the dividing rollers of FIG. 12. The separating edges are indicated at 46. The element has spacings 47, equal to each other, but different from the spacings 26 or 25 of FIGS. 8 and 7, respectively. This difference in size of the spacings -is due to the difference between the two methods of execution, and here also, the dividing member is provided with grooves 4.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for dividing threads of primary filaments of thermoplastic material following the spinning and wetting thereof, which comprises a guide roller spaced from the wetting station for guiding the filaments to form a fan-shaped skein of filaments, rolling separating means between the wetting station and guide roller to separate the primary filaments into several groups and to gather each group into a thread formed of a predetermined number of primary filaments, and a lever system for supporting said guide roller and rolling separating means, said lever system being pivotally mounted adjacent to the skein of filaments so that said guide roller is displaced from the skein when the rolling separating means penetrate the fan-shaped skein to effect the separation thereof.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said separating means comprises a separating roller having a plurality of edges spaced along the length thereof with frusto-conical surfaces adjacent to said edges.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lever system includes a pivoted bar supporting said guide roller at one end thereof remote from said wetting station, and said rolling separating means at the opposite end of said pivoted bar.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said separating means comprises a separating roller having a plurality of edges spaced equidistantly along the length thereof with frusto-conical surfaces adjacent to said edges, and grooves at the base of the smallest dimension of said surfaces for guiding the separated filaments.

5. An apparatus for dividing threads of primary filaments of thermoplastic material following the spinning and wetting thereof, which comprises a guide roller spaced from the wetting station for guiding the filaments to form a fan-shaped skein of filaments, separating rollers having longitudinally displace-d separating edges with inclined surfaces therebetween interposed between said wetting station and guide roller for separating the primary filaments following the wetting operation into groups of filaments and gathering them into threads corresponding to the angularity of the fan-like skein, and to a diminishing degree from the center of the skein towards the edges thereof, and a lever system for supporting said guide roller and separating rollers, said lever system being pivotally mounted adjacent to the skein of filaments so that said guide roller is displaced from the skein when the separating rollers penetrate the fan-shaped skein to effect the separation thereof.

6. An apparatus for dividing threads of primary filaments of thermoplastic material following the spinning and wetting thereof, which comprises a guide roller spaced from the wetting station for guiding the filaments to form a fan-shaped skein of filaments, a plurality of sets of separating rollers interposed between said wetting station and guide roller for separating the primary filaments following the wetting operation corresponding to the angularity of the fan-like skein into groups of filaments and gathering them into threads, a lever system for supporting said guide roller and separating rollers, said system being pivoted so that the guide roller is displaced from the skein of filaments when the separating rollers penetrate the fan-shaped skein to eifect the separation thereof.

7. An apparatus for dividing threads of primary filaments of thermoplastic material following the spinning and wetting thereof, which comprises a guide roller spaced from the wetting station for guiding the filaments to form a fan-shaped skein of filaments, a plurality of separating rollers interposed between said wetting station and guide roller for separating the primary filaments following the wetting operation corresponding to the angularity of the fan-like skein, said plurality of rollers being provided with equidistantly displaced separating edges along the length thereof with inclined surfaces extending therefrom, the second roller being of greater length than the first roller so that the displacements between the separating edges on the former are larger than those on the latter which conform to the spreading angularity of the fan formation of the skein of filaments, and a lever system for supporting said guide roller and separating rollers, said system being pivoted so that the guide roller is displaced from the skein of filaments when the separating rollers penetrate the fanshaped skein to effect the separation thereof.

8. An apparatus for dividing threads of primary filaments of thermoplastic material following the spinning and wetting thereof, which comprises a guide roller spaced from the wetting station for guiding the filaments to form a fan-shaped skein of filaments, a plurality of separating rollers interposed between said wetting station and guide roller for separating the primary filaments following the wetting operation corresponding to the angularity of the fan-like skein into groups of filaments and gathering them into threads, a lever system for supporting said guide roller and separating rollers, said system being pivoted so that the guide roller is displaced from the skein of filaments when the separating rollers penetrate the fan-shaped skein to effect the separation thereof, said lever system including a pivoted bar supporting the guide roller at the end thereof remote from said wetting station and the first separating roller at the opposite end thereof, and a second pivoted bar at said last-mentioned end supporting a second separating roller.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 8 including a lateral arm having one part thereof rigidly connected to said pivoted bar and another part thereof rockably mounted on a support.

10. An apparatus for dividing threads of primary filaments of thermoplastic material following the spinning and wetting thereof, which comprises a guide roller spaced from the wetting station for guiding the filaments to form a fan-shaped skein of filaments, separating means interposed between said wetting station and guide roller for separating the primary filaments following the wetting operation into groups of filaments and gathering them into threads, said means comprising a guide frame adjacent to the plane of said filaments between said wetting station and guide roller, and a dividing roller movable within said guide frame at an increasing inclination to said plane from a point below said wetting station to a point above said guide roller to eventually displace the filaments from said guide roller.

11. An apparatus for dividing threads of primary filaments of thermoplastic material following the spinning and wetting thereof, which comprises a guide roller spaced from the wetting station for guiding the filaments to form a fan-shaped skein of filaments, separating means interposed between said wetting station and guide roller for separating the primary filaments following the wetting operation into groups of filaments and gathering them into threads, said means comprising a guide frame adjacent to the plane of said filaments between said wetting station and guide roller, and a dividing roller movable within said guide frame at an increasing inclination to said plane from a point below said wetting station to a point above said guide roller to eventually displace the filaments from said guide roller, said dividing roller being composed of a plurality of roller members having longitudinally displaced separating edges with inclined surfaces therebetween-terminating in grooves for guiding the subdivided filaments.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said roller members are mounted upon a common axle having the ends thereof guided in opposed tracks in said guide frame through the intermediary of articulated sets of levers on the opposite sides of said frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS A 2,731,262 1/1956 Morrow 226-1 2,851,732 9/1958 Sharp. 2,875,501 3/1959 Gravley 156 441 2,887,843 5/1959 Kline et al. 57-457 2,954,815 10/1960 Kuts 156-441 3,032,248 5/1962 Morrow v.226 189 3,053,425 9/1962 Baines "226-3 3,067,920 12/1962 Woodcock etal. 226189 FOREIGN PATENTS 595,800 4/1960 Canada. 504,970 5/1939 GreatBritain.

M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON, ANDRES H. NIELSEN, RAPHAEL M. LUPO, ROBERT B. REEVES,

Examiners. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR DIVIDING THREADS OF PRIMARY FILAMENTS OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL FOLLOWING THE SPINNING AND WETTING THEREOF, WHICH COMPRISES A GUIDE ROLLER SPACED FROM THE WETTING STATION FOR GUIDING THE FILAMENTS TO FORM A FAN-SHAPED SKEIN OF FILAMENTS, ROLLING SEPARATING MEANS BETWEEN THE WETTING STATION AND GUIDE ROLLER TO SEPARATE THE PRIMARY FILAMENTS INTO SEVERAL GROUPS AND TO GATHER EACH GROUP INTO A THREAD FORMED OF A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF PRIMARY FILAMENTS, AND A LEVER SYSTEM FOR SUPPORTING SAID GUIDE ROLLER AND ROLLING SEPARATING MEANS, SAID LEVER SYSTEM BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ADJACENT TO THE SKEIN OF FILAMENTS SO THAT SAID GUIDE ROLLER IS DISPLACED FROM THE SKEIN WHEN THE ROLLING SEPARATING MEANS PENETRATE THE FAN-SHAPED SKEIN TO EFFECT THE SEPARATION THEREOF. 